Posted on Monday, November 27, 2017

A half-dozen men slowly lifted Parkview Health’s Samaritan helicopter into the air. It proved a relatively simple task on this chilly day last week in Franke Park. It was an image of the medical air transport, one of the new displays to brighten the Blue Jacket Fantasy of Lights.

Fantasy of Lights, Tuesday-Dec. 31, has extended its driving route by a half-mile to 2 miles and added 10 displays, including those from Dana, Embassy Theatre and General Motors, said Tony Hudson, Blue Jacket executive director.

It also will serve free popcorn and hot cocoa in the pavilion by the lake so families can spend time together at the event, he said. It also will sell Blue Jacket merchandise, including pullovers, stocking caps and beanies and include a free ornament inside the Fantasy of Lights programs.

The price this year has doubled to $10 per vehicle, the first increase since 1994 when it was started by what is now Benchmark Services. Blue Jacket, which provides employment services for disadvantaged clients, took over management of the event in 2015.

“We’ve had to buy more utilities,” Hudson said of the increase.

The event includes 112 secular and religious scenes in more than 316 displays using 269,000 LED bulbs plus older bulbs. They include a series of lighted arches that “go into the woods I think will knock people’s socks off,” Hudson said.

About half of the money taken in at the event will go toward construction. The other half will go to put Blue Jacket clients through its Career Academy and get a job, which costs $600 per person. Blue Jacket’s goal is to have 100,000 Fantasy of Lights visitors and to serve 50 more clients next year. Every 60 vehicles at Fantasy of Lights pays for one client to go through the academy.